Missing West Sacramento man's body found in Sacramento River

SACRAMENTO, CA - A Sacramento dive team recovered a body from the Sacramento River Wednesday just a few feet away from the spot where an 18-year-old West Sacramento man plunged into the water earlier this month and never resurfaced.

Searchers hired by the family of Deore Lee found the body north of Sutterville Road along the Sacramento River around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sacramento City Fire spokesman Jon Burgess said.

The body was located just 15 feet from where Lee, 18, disappeared south of Miller Park after jumping into the river from a rope swing Sept. 11.

A witness said Lee leapt into the water from the rope for the first time, came up flailing as he struggled to stay afloat, then disappeared under the surface, Burgess said.

Two searches by the Sacramento Drowning Accident Rescue Team (DART) turned up no evidence of the teen.

Family members said they decided to hire private divers, who searched for four hours before discovering the body in 14 feet of water only eight to 10 feet from where the rope swing hangs above.

Lee's aunt Michelle Augustine said in the days following her nephew's disappears, she had contacted the Sacramento mayor's office to ask that rope swings along the river be cut down.

"I explained to them, when are you going to do something about these ropes that are hanging on the Sacramento River? Cut down these ropes off these trees. They need to cut them down," said Augustine.

The Sacramento County Coroner's Office confirmed the body was Lee late Wednesday night.